I can’t see out my window ... the pigs are flying by blocking the sunlight. This might as well be the case as one of the great rarities of a season has happened. Hermès, yes that heritage brand, which has been long known for its scarves, discreet luxury leather goods and their always understated and chic concept of fashion has taken a giant step. Under the stewardship of Veronique Nichanian, Hermès has boarded the trend train! The difference here is that while the route taken might be different, the destination is still the same ... tu comprends cheri?

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Using a series of tonally subdued but atypical prints which vary from a sort of abstract cubist to a floral that scarily resembles a Liberty of London print to a faded vintage wallpaper floral, Ms. Nichanian has massaged the DNA of the brand and presented it with a new vocabulary, so to speak … pun intended! In essence, the chic of the collection is there as is that cosmopolitan luxe that Hermès is famous for but it now shown as a younger hipper and more trend driven selection.

The season is skewed younger in presentation and yet the clothes would miraculously suit a man of any age as they are not tricked out; they are straight forward and simply constructed in exquisite fabrics and using a very limited but universal palette. It wouldn’t be Hermes if there weren’t the amazing croco pieces ( CROCO HOODIE ANYONE? ) and now the exquisitely crafted suedes in their lighter than air handling. That athletic footwear trend has even crept in with the Hermes version of a slip on Vans and once again it is all about the discretion and details. What is also endlessly appealing and agreeable to the eye is the ease of the collection, for the most part it is a relaxed silhouette but never sloppy and never overly layered; It is all very cut and dry and it is never boring.

I actually love the collection a lot but what I miss is the polish and the slickness that usually accompanied every collection. It might be attributed to the season and then again it might be a shift in design direction. We won’t know which till next season!

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Jeffrey Felner is a dedicated participant and well informed historian in the businesses of fashion and style. Decades of experience allow him to pursue almost any topic relating to fashion and style with unique insight and unrivaled acumen.